Obviously well done to everyone as they say, everyone's a winner. You might want to read on, without trying to turn this into a TL;DR thread, there are a few things I feel should be expressed.
I've decided that this thread would have been useless unless we actually take the time to listen and mostly critique each other's work.
I'll try and probably fail, to be merciless lol. Seriously though, I don't think any of us are 100% professionals who “only do this for a living” and this should in no way reflect the quality of the works submitted. Recently I've found that listening to what are known as “mainstream media” meaning FM Radio among others is becoming harder and harder, the audio is overcompressed and frankly some of the hits of the last 2-3 years should be classified as weapons of mass deafening by the CIA.
Don't get me wrong, Gangnam Style is a very well produced, entertaining piece. Incomprehensible to 99% of the planet still entertaining to listen to. I was at an Italian reception hall last fall and when the DJ switched from “La Tarantella” to Gangnam Style everyone got up and danced including the oldest known living person in the western world.
I'm going to take a few minutes and go through all the songs, listen and critique.
For the record: I have no real credentials. One of the songs I've written and produced managed to get itself on a video game called Rockband back in 2011, where kids played it with a plastic guitar and rubber drumkit, and I did partake in one session at the Quebec music conservatory back in 1988 where sadly I was asked to perform scales on a piano even though I could play/read music and play piano since the age of 13. Later, as I grew into my 20s I discovered I loathed to perform in public as I've always hated crowds so I decided I would be an IT tech and see if I couldn't write/produce music for other artists. Sadly that never panned out.
I've done some sound engineering classes so that I can usually master most tracks properly and make them sound professional. Like most, I have my Achilles heel. There are some instruments and genres I detest, for example, Violin to me is like Liver to The Fonz, Celtic music is like my kryptonite. Ungroovy and mucky grunge type basslines are to me, what soup was to Mafalda.
Recently, into my fourties I've found that performing in public wasn't that much of an issue anymore except for a problem caused by several concussions I've received in my younger years playing ice hockey, my short term memory is appallingly bad, which means that for me to remember lyrics, even those I've written myself as recently as 2 minutes prior, is difficult at best.
Last time I gave a concert in public, my wife stood in the front row with some cue cards (true story) and I still managed to screw up my own lyrics, but nobody noticed. Really. None of the eleven attending realized anything was wrong...
Oh, my cousin that still lives in Europe is a renowned tenor at the head of a large Italian/Bulgarian agency. Sadly he only handles opera even though he is still fond of Duran Duran and A-Ha as he is my same age and we grew up listening to the porcine squealing of Simon LeBon & co.
My influences (read favorites) include: Kasabian, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Love & Rockets, The Cure, Pulp and some of Pete Doherty's stuff. I've always found The Babyshambles sounded like Pulp had switched Jarvis Cocker for Richard Hammond...
Oh, and an 80s alternative techno Canadian band named Skinny Puppy.
You'll notice there are no women lead in any of the bands, I don't dislike women, I'm quite fond of them, I just wish they'd stop trying so damn hard to sing
among the women leads I respect and enjoy are Tina Turner and Roxettes' own Mary Fredrikson. Recently my daughter made me discover a teenage girl who sings for a band called The Pretty Wreckless whom I also enjoy.
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aj113 -
http://www.reverbnation.com/salemuk
Your work is quite well played and recorded in its genre. It's not a genre for everyone as it will probably result in severe headaches for the older, weaker crowd who are exposed to it. Please understand though that this is the case for everything that is art. What I admire the most is that it's done in one continuous take which is fantastic. You should record video and place it on youtube, tagging it with the genre's name.
Arkad -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIZPAqXAI8Q
This song is clearly lyrical, from what I gather you're using classic chord progressions with emphasis on the lyrics and melody. This is a plus for acoustic artists such as yourselves. Well done! You should scroll the lyrics (which as aforementioned I already can't remember even though the song is still playing right now, as I write this...) in the video. It's a lovely song.
dg00sandbox -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXQVeNaiXeg
Techno music then ah? A bold move. Still entertaining, reminds me of something Information Society would've done if they still played music today. 8-Beat builds from what seems forever but gets really interesting around the 2m mark. I'm assuming the name of the song is 8-Beat?
SoundSquire -
https://soundcloud.com/soundsquire/dragon-burial-ground
It's always a stuggle between musicians (mostly guitarists) and sound engineers when it comes to overdriven guitar being recorded as it is and/or pulling back on the overdrive for the recording and then add the effects on it.
Well executed musical piece. Should really be part of an album.
kr236rk -
https://soundcloud.com/phaeton_g/wonder-where-you-are
A beautiful song, reminiscent of Peter Murphy's genre intermixed with perhaps some Pete Doherty? Quite entertaining, it has everything, good lyrics, voice has style, would benefit from a professional production.
teljax -
https://soundcloud.com/supertokes
Phenomenal guitarist. Great vocal style. It's imperfection is what makes it perfect and frankly this could be part of a vintage movie soundtrack, a movie set in the late 60s or early 70s. Do you know an American rock band that used to be known as The Doors?
dimitreze -
https://soundcloud.com/dimitreze/disque ... te-of-love
Cheerfully made! It has that acoustic vintage sound that made The Beatles famous, especially the first minute or so before the break. Could be played commercially on television or radio adverts.
outteh -
http://mixcraftlive.com/T-Guitar/ and
http://mixcraftlive.com/T-Guitar/audio.php?p=2
A cover of a beautiful song. I've gone and listened to some of the other songs he's posted, a definite style. I don't know all of them but I suspect they're all covers. Am I right?
lord_galathon – I'm skipping this guy. Who is this dude? Seriously though, ignore the first one, it was a demo I made for an up and coming Scottish singer Charleena Maughan. For all intents and purposes she's declined it so it's now next on my “to do” list.
People keep refusing my songs so that we constantly wind up with stuff like WILL.I.AM reducing our radios to ashes.
I'm afraid I've overcomplicated the second song, which appears to have become my new single. Also the mix has too much bass in it, a problem I think that stems from the monitors I use in the studio as it's something I often find in my final masterings when I listen to them outside the studio.
gypsy101 -
https://soundcloud.com/rlc-ltd and
https://soundcloud.com/rlc-ltd/its-over-now-mix-2 and
http://www.soundclick.com/player/single ... 90395&q=hi
I couldn't get the first link to work.
The second is a bit misleading because despite the general cheerfulness of the aria, it is definitely a sad song. The overwhelming guitar takes over the vocal style, assisting it in its hide and seek game. Perhaps adding some “exciter” effect to the vocal might make it stand out more. An otherwise lovely song.
I remember the first time I heard that GT guitar piece a few weeks ago when you first posted it. It's wonderful, I'd make it trail a long, mid-album song. Think Don't Fear The Reaper.
Rambler 40 -
https://soundcloud.com/rambler40/make-me-blue
Not sure what to make of the wind part at the intro, I do love the sinewave synth used as a melody there. The retro baritone vocal style greatly complements the music even though some of the notes he hits don't actually exist musically, keep in mind there are an infinite number of successful vocalists that made a career out of avoiding normal notes: Ozzy, Jarvis Cocker (live), Simon LeBon (Live) among others.
benhal9 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t47zCaJr ... e=youtu.be
Perky cover of a graduation ball classic. The vocalist accurately got all the lyrics correctly (It's one of the few songs I still remember) although some parts sound strange. I admire the display enthusiasm, it must be noted that they're clearly having lots of fun with this! I'm not, in any way criticizing this negatively, it's a cover piece and I truly enjoyed listening to it which is rare for me.
Pim909 -
https://soundcloud.com/pim909/breakeven
The vocalist on this cover is professional yes? She has an incredibly lovely voice, I'm staggered by it. You must record her performing this live on video and post it on youtube. My arm hairs are standing up. So far the best effort in the list (I'm writing this as I go.) because of its simplicity and the quality of the vocalist.
Peter G -
https://soundcloud.com/beatspcs/i-am
This is a deceptively light hearted song (musically) which is then put back on a more (appropriately) gloomy track by the lyrics, which are performed admirably. Even though I'm still digesting the lyrics, I enjoyed this song, it has an American heavy metal quality intermixed with some late 1990s grunge. A surprising discovery. The vocalist seems to have the perfect voice for this sound.
Trevlyns -
https://soundcloud.com/trevlyns-1
Is this an original song? I don't recognize it. It sounds like it should be a classic lounge piece. Well done. Initial contact with the vocals resulted in me being impressed. If it is an original, which I suspect, perhaps look into the melody line to see what could be improved. Otherwise a perfectly enjoyable song if a bit draggy towards the end. I liked it.
Jaymzzb -
https://soundcloud.com/james-brook-1/kn ... avens-door and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yewMXM ... eg&index=1
A good G&R instrumental cover, someone should put the vocals in there and make it complete.
I recognize that second video from one I throughly enjoyed listening to last week! I still enjoyed it!
mbliss -
https://soundcloud.com/mbliss01/nuthin-fancy2
Where are the lyrics we requested last month? Lol. A perfectly good instrumental chord progression, well executed guitars and harmonica. Consider writing lyrics for this.
shinythang -
https://soundcloud.com/geoffjamesevans/dawn-march
This is triumphant orchestral music, reminiscent of Warcraft II. Should be used in documentaries along with a narration, or as ending credits. Incredibly well put together, what did you use for the rolling cymbals hits?
Rod VM -
https://soundcloud.com/rod-vm/linea-3
Interesting in a perplexing kind of way. I fancy this could be used for 80s cartoons such as Candy or Heidi. The melody isn't repetitive enough to not have been improvised. Was it? Also, the lead instrument is a distorted kind of organ yes? At first I thought it might have been guitar.
Doodad -
http://mixcraftlive.com/Barry/player.php
I Love the vocalist's expression on this piece. Sounds like something they'd play at the end of Saturday Night Live to wind down the evening. Very relaxed. The guitar is also quite enjoyable, I like how the guitarist played on the harmonics during the solo. Also nice is the piano instrument used. I liked it.
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Please note, I'm NOT a music professional, and as such it probably comes through as pompous and self-embellishing that I would "critique" the songs even though I'm not mandated to do it. However, keep in mind that without a proper critique, we'd live in a world populated entirely by beige Camrys and long haired blokes named "Ken" who have girlfriends named "Britney" and live in Malibu.
I'm impressed by the overall quality and mostly the variety of works, a few stood out, benhal's Simple Minds cover, Rambler's vocals and Gypsy's GT for instance. I also found that shinytang's orchestral movement was excellent.
Forced to pick one? Pim909's vocalist. Sorry lads, lastly, flamesuit: ON.
) lord_galathon's child of glass.
